harriet f



H. F. BOWMAN. (J'hilds Stocking; Suspender.

Pateht'edSept. 28, 1880.

INVENTOR: I

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HARRIET F. BOWMAN, OF MATTOON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HERSEIIF AND FRANKKERN, OF SAME PLACE.

CHILDS STOCKlNG-SUSPENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,671, datedSeptember 28, 1880.

Application filed February 28, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRIET F. BOWMAN, ofMattoon, in the county of Goles and State of Illinois, have invented anew and Improved Childs Stocking-Suspender; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which the figure isa front view.

My invention is designed to avoid the necessity for the use of gartersfor holding up childrens stockings, the bad effect of an impededcirculation, cold feet, and other incidental evils being alreadyrecognized due, to a large extent, to the use of tight garters, which,as the child grows, constantly become tighter. The invention consists intwo endless straps passing over the shoulders and havingan outward curveat the bottom, so as to leave the hips unimpeded, in combination with anelastic strap at the bottom of each endless strap, which elastic strapis buttoned to the stocking, together with two pairs of cross-straps forconnecting the endless straps'in front and behind the body of the child,to keep the endless straps from slipping off the shoulders, one set ofcross-straps being separable and connected by buttons and button-holes,to permit the suspenders to be easily applied or removed, as

0 hereinafter described.

In the drawing, A A represent two endless straps, which are designed togo over the shoulders and hang down by the hips of the child. Thesestraps have inserted pieces a a,

3 5 fastened obliquely to the lower portion of the main straps, whichpieces give the lower portion of the straps an outward curve orfullness, which prevents the binding of the straps against the hip.

40 To the lower end of each piece a is stitched an elastic strap, B,carrying abutton, b,which is buttoned into a button-hole in thestocking.

Just below the arms the main straps A A are connected by twofrontcross-straps, G O, and two back straps, D D, which hold the 5 mainsuspending-straps A A from slipping off the shoulders. V

In order to permit the suspenders to be easily applied or removed, thefront or back cross-straps, O and D, may be made separa- 5o ble bybuttons and button-holes, as seen at c 0.

In defining my invention more clearly with respect to that which haspreceded it, I would state that I am aware of the combinedstocking-snpporterand skeleton waist shown in Patcut No. 106,885. Thedistinctive feature of my invention, however, rests in the peculiarconstruction of the comparatively-inelastic strap, AA, as made with afullness below the cross straps by anoutward curve,in connection withthe inelastic pieces a, inserted bias, the merit of which is thatinstead of drawing against the body in a straightline it gives, when thestrain is on it, a curve or swell which does not encumber or bind thegrowing child about the hips or bend of the body, but permits free andunconfined action to the child in its numerous postures.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- The inelasticendless straps A A, formed of the main sections for the shoulders,curved outwardly below the cross-straps, and theinelastic pieces ca,inserted bias, forming together an outward lateral curve or fullnessover the hips, in combination with the elastic straps B, and thecross-straps O and D, substantially as described.

HARRIET F. BOWMAN.

Witnesses:

WM. A. STEELE, FRANK KERN.

